1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of devices that are used to protect the rider while the rider is engaged in an activity such a riding a motorcycle. The devices are specifically designed to protect the head and the body so that in the event of an accident, the most critical portions of a rider's anatomy which include the head and neck and body portion will be protected to the maximum extent possible to reduce any injury to the rider.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, the concept of a protective device to protect the head and neck of a rider is known. The following 13 patents are relevant to the field of the present invention.
1. U.S. Pat. No. 3,514,784 issued to Robert F. McDavid on Jun. 2, 1970 for “Protective Football Apparatus” (hereafter the “McDavid Patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,251 issued to Jean-Marc Gauthier on May 22, 1984 for “Neck And Collarbone Protector” (hereafter the “Gauthier Patent”);
3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,023 issued to Johnny B. Bilberry on Feb. 26, 1995 for “Neck Support” (hereafter the “Bilberry Patent”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,622 issued to Robert A. Wolfe et al. and assigned to All American Inc. on May 27, 1986 for “Shoulder, Chest And Neck Protective Device” (hereafter the “Wolfe Patent”);
5. U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,339 issued to Jeffrey D. Fair on Apr. 18, 1989 for “Protective Vest Having A Cervical Collar” (hereafter the “'339 Fair Patent”);
6. U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,720 issued to Jeffrey D. Fair on Mar. 5, 1991 for “Protective Vest Having A Cervical Collar” (hereafter the “'720 Fair Patent”);
7. U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,590 issued to Theodore A. Monica, Jr. and assigned to Riddell, Inc. on Apr. 11, 1995 for “Football Helmet Motion Restrictor” (hereafter the “Monica Patent”);
8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,471 issued to Luis Terrazas on May 2, 1995 for “Neck Relaxer” (hereafter the “Terrazas Patent”);
9. U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,601 issued to Alan Abeyta on Aug. 20, 1996 for “Neck And Cervical Spine Protector Device For Dispersing Axial Compressive Forces” (hereafter the “Abeyta Patent”);
10. U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,719 issued to Vincent G. Crupi et al. and assigned to Med-Eng Systems, Inc. on Sep. 7, 1999 for “Neck And Head Protection System” (hereafter the “Crupi Patent”);
11. U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,665 issued to Bernard F. DePalma et al. and assigned to Cramer Products, Inc. on May 30, 2000 for “Adjustable Protective Collar” (hereafter the “DePalma Patent”);
12. U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,802 issued to Stephen E. Armellino and assigned to U.S. Armor Corporation on Mar. 6, 2001 for “Tactical Vest” (hereafter the “Armellino Patent”);
13. U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,170 issued to Todd D. Aaron on Apr. 5, 2005 for “Head And Neck Protection System” (hereafter the “Aaron Patent”).
The McDavid Patent discloses the concept of incorporating a neck support member attached to the shoulder harness of an object which is to be worn by football players during activities. Specifically, the device includes a pair of elongated rectangular back panels which are hingeably attached which enable the device to be rotated open for placement onto a player. This also extends to a breast connector plate as illustrated. The panels extend across a player's cervical spine and also behind the player's neck as shown in the drawings. Therefore, this invention discloses the broad general concept of incorporating a neck protector into a shoulder harness.
The Gauthier Patent discloses a neck and collar bone protector which is a neck protector with a portion that can be worn over the collar bone area. There is a collar 12 connected to a bib 10 through a neck edge 14 of the bib. The collar can be wrapped around the person's neck and retained therein by hook and loop fasteners. The collar extends to a bib which rests on the top portion of a person's chest.
The Bilberry Patent is a neck support. It includes a neck support 2 which is a flexible shape collar. A front support 7 is attached to segments of the collar and lies adjacent ends 5 of the collar. The collar 2 is described as being made of relatively soft and resilient sponge rubber. The collar is shown as having lace supports 15 which extend through respective openings in a breast plate which is comparable to a shoulder pad. Therefore, what this discloses is a spongy neck support collar tied to a breast plate.
The Wolfe Patent is a combination shoulder, chest and neck protecting device which in effect is a vest with various attachments as shown to protect different upper body parts. This includes a neck roll 90 which is attached as part of the vest assembly.
The '339 Fair Patent discloses a protective vest having a cervical collar where essentially the cervical collar member is formed into and is made a part of the protective vest so that it can be worn underneath a football helmet. However, there is an open front and it does not entirely surround the neck and is simply designed to protect the back of the neck as an additional protection means against whiplash and additional rearward movement of the neck.
The '720 Fair Patent discloses a cervical collar again incorporated into a vest. Once again, the collar is protecting the rear portion of the neck but in this case there is the addition of additional panels such as 106 which surround the front portion of the neck. Therefore, the neck is entirely enclosed by the collar panels 12 and 106 incorporated into a chest protector.
The Monica Patent includes a football helmet motion restrictor provided on a football chest protector which is best illustrated in FIG. 3 provides a restriction means for the helmet. This goes only partially around the neck and is more intended to go around the helmet to restrict its movement during athletic events.
The Terrazas Patent was defined as a neck relaxer and is more of a cervical collar which basically has a support section that extends over the back so that it prevents forward and backward movement of the neck while at the same time permitting rotational movement of the neck. The first claim which is the only independent claim in the patent states:                “An apparatus for supporting head, neck and back area of a human patient comprising:        a) an upper support element for supporting the head of the human patient;        b) a lower support element for supporting the back of the human patient; and        c) a means for attaching said upper support element to said lower support element which allows said upper support mechanism to rotate in both lateral directions relative to the head of said human patient about an axis of rotation which is situated in alignment and juxtaposed with the posterior region of the head of the human patient when said apparatus is worn by the human patient while restraining the upper support element in the posterior and anterior directions relative to the head of said human patient.”        
This patent essentially discloses a neck protector with a section going down the back to prevent forward and backward movement of the neck.
The Abeyta Patent discloses a neck and cervical spine protector which is connected to the shoulder and chest protector device of a football protection system. The invention has the purpose of dispersing axial compressive forces on the head away from the neck and cervical spine region to the posterior midline portions of the shoulder and upper thorax regions of the user's body. This also discloses a generally u-shaped structure 34 on the back of the neck attached to the back of the shoulder pads. The invention claims the concept of the u-shaped structure for fitting about the back and opposite sides of the neck of a user a resting on the posterior midline portion of the shoulders and means to find the u-shape structure for seating thereon a head protector worn by the user and then a lower structure which relies over the chest portion of the wearer.
The Crupi Patent essentially is a protective system which includes the helmet and a protective neck area with the purpose being to provide additional protection from the blast effects of exploding munitions.
The DePalma Patent is an adjustable protective collar which includes a protective pad 10 which is worn behind the user and is incorporated into the thorax chest protector portion. The collar only extends to the back of the neck and not around the entire neck and is for preventing backward movement of the neck during a football play in FIG. 8 with the helmet in a position right behind the back protective collar.
The Armellino Patent is what is called a tactical vest and essentially has a protective back collar with the innovative feature being that the collar can be raised to support the back of the neck and then lowered and attached to the back of the vest hook and loop fasteners when it is not necessary to have the collar around the back of the neck. It is intended as part of a chest protector for a bulletproof vest.
The Aaron Patent discloses a head and neck protection system which includes the protective collar which can be attached by snap members to a football helmet and also attached by stack members to a chest protecting area.
There is a significant need for an improved device that substantially provides additional protection to a rider which provides much more effective protection to the head and neck area than the inventions set forth in the prior art embodiments.